Light Online Book Three: Leader

by Tom Larcombe

  “Probably get three beds per load, or one bed, two tables, and six or so stools,” Griff said, calculating out loud. “So we'll start with the mix, gonna be a while before everyone gets bed frames though.”

  “There's a lady near the crossroads that does mattresses too,” Eddie said. “Straw tick will only run you a few copper. After you order yours, let the others know. Even if they don't have a frame yet, they could still sleep on a straw tick on the floor and be more comfortable.”

  Griff's face lost the embarrassment and broke out into a grin again.

  “Thank you, Eddie, sir. That's good to know. I'll see if I can find her and put my order in before I start work on the carts. Then I can spread the word about that to people as I see them.”

  Eddie handed over the blueprint of the cart that he'd made while they were speaking, then waved and headed east towards the farm where he'd be making the ox drawn cart and wagon.

  ~ ~ ~

  Eddie made it through the cart quickly, but discovered that the spoke wheels took a lot longer than he thought they would. The process of doing them did provide one very welcome benefit though.

  You have upgraded the skill Carpentry to (13). Wagons Ho! Headed west are we?

  Eddie groaned, but kept working. It was only mid-afternoon when he'd finished the wagon and with the apprentice's help he pushed it over with the other wagons and carts.

  Now we just need Bjorn to get back with the oxen and we'll really start moving faster on everything, he thought. The hand carts are great, but with those plus the ox carts and wagons we'll be able to do a lot more than just build, hopefully.

  Eddie decided to head back down to the town hall and familiarize himself with the control room even more. He was going to make a list of the grayed out options so he could get them built as soon as possible. He'd prioritize those right behind the buildings he needed to advance the settlement so as to try to get that Happiness rating in the readouts back into the green.

  He gave a whistle and Lucky, who'd been out hunting in the light woods to the north, came trotting back. As he'd been working she'd occasionally stopped by with a bunny and once, causing Eddie a little concern, even a Nubbie. He'd made a mental note to let some of the lower level adventurers know that there might be something interesting developing near the farm. The only time he'd seen the Nubbies before was when the lair was present, so he had some minor worries about that.

  He headed back down to the town hall and went upstairs to the control room. He'd spent about an hour there when a flicker from the readouts caught his attention.

  What the hell? The population just jumped by more than thirty, well the one I think is the temporary population at least. What was that? Did we get more refugees. Wait, how long has it been since Bjorn left, I thought he wasn't due back for another day or two, but maybe he's early?

  Eddie raced out of the town hall. The first thing he checked was the crossroads. When he caught sight of Griff working he trotted over to the man.

  “Did you just see a bunch of people come in?” Eddie asked. “Did we get more refugees?”

  “Nope, but that big hauler just got back. He had a whole crowd of people with him. There were a bunch riding on the wagons, more walking alongside, and a whole mess of oxen. They headed towards the inn I think,” Griff replied.

  “Thanks Griff, gotta go. Unfortunately we'll probably need to be building even more houses now, or fortunately, I suppose, depending on how you look at it. I just hoped we'd catch up more before he got back with all these people.”

  Griff waved him off.

  “Don't worry Eddie, you've got your oxen now. We can just make a few more construction crews, stone haulers crews, and woodsman crews and be doing even more every day now. Go, I can tell you're itching to catch up to that hauler.”

  Eddie gave him a grin, turned, and trotted to the inn. As he approached it the crowd of people in the street let him know that he'd caught up to Bjorn. Their style of dress was just a touch different, and a lot of them were looking around as though trying to get a feel for the place.

  He saw Bjorn over near the barn and went around back of the inn so as not to force his way through the crowd.

  “Bjorn, how'd it go?”

  “Well, Eddie. Quite well. I got you twelve oxen, and we've got about thirty new residents. There are some guards also, but they would only take the position on guarding the wagons for now. They said they want to look around and talk to whoever is in charge before signing on to patrol the area.”

  “I can do that. I'll show them what would be their base of operations and let them sleep there tonight, if they want. It's the basement of the town hall and there's a door that leads right to the stairs down to it.”

  “Well, they'll be coming back here soon enough, if you want to wait for them.”

  “Think I ought to go out and talk to some of the new people?” Eddie asked.

  “Give them a little time to get used to the place first. Maybe feed them if you've got enough of something to go around? We made really good time on the way back. A couple of people had their own wagons with all their belongings, but there was room on those for some to sit, I let a few sit on my wagons as well so everyone who would slow us down wasn't walking.”

  “I'll go see if Liv and I can run something off real quick,” Eddie said.

  He darted into the back door of the inn. Liv wasn't in the kitchen, but when he went out into the common room she was staring at the crowd in the street.

  “Hey Liv, can we make up a quick soup or stew in the big pot? All these people just got here and had a quick trip from Brightport. So they've worked hard and I'd like to get a warm meal in them.”

  “Aye, we can probably do that. Where's my Bjorn?”

  “Stabling the oxen, he brought me twelve more, plus he's taking care of his own.”

  “He'll be in here shortly then, got a way with animals, he does,” Liv replied.

  Eddie had seen Bjorn's way with animals. If they resisted him, he simply thumped them on the head. He was big and strong enough that they felt it, and as far as Eddie knew, they all behaved themselves after a single thump.

  Liv started work on a soup. She said that it wouldn't be impressive, but it should be filling, and would be ready in an hour or so. Eddie started in on his own cooking also, several batches of flatbread, hopefully enough to give each person at least one piece of their own.

  As they were cooking there was a knock at the door to the kitchen leading outside. Eddie turned to see an armored man standing there, peering in.

  “Bjorn told me to ask for Eddie?” the man said.

  “That's me, just give me a minute.”

  “He said you were the leader around here, but you're cooking?” the man said.

  “Hey, it's my inn. I gave extra work to her,” he said, gesturing towards Liv, “so I figured I ought to lend a hand.”

  “Go Eddie,” Liv said. “The soup just needs stirring from here on out, I can take care of the flatbread also.”

  Eddie filched a pair of flatbreads that he'd already finished cooking. As he walked outside he offered one to the armored man and took a bite of the other himself.

  “So, you own the inn? A businessman is in charge around here?”

  “I don't know that I'd consider myself a businessman, but others might,” Eddie said.

  “How do you consider yourself then?”

  “A bit of everything. I'm an adventurer, a builder, I'm the one funding all the houses for the refugees, and I just built the town hall. Also, I own the inn and the marketplace that's opening up tomorrow.”

  The man cocked his head, looking at Eddie.

  “Never heard an adventurer that claimed to be anything but that,” he said.

  Eddie grinned.

  “I'm not exactly your normal adventurer. Eddie, by the way,” he said offering his hand.

  The man took it and have it a firm shake.

  “Erik,” the man said. “So, you're looking to hire on patrols? Guards
?”

  “Yes, a lot of the people here are refugees. We recently had goblins attacking from the forest to the south. They burned a lot of these people out and we're relocating them here where they'll be safer.”

  “Why is here safer?” Erik asked.

  “It's the local gathering point for adventurers. Plus the temple of Freyja at the crossroads has some special buffs on it that can help protect the inhabitants.”

  “That the living building we came past?”

  Eddie nodded.

  “I could see where that one might be a bit special. What kind of protection?”

  “No violence whatsoever allowed on the temple grounds. Not prohibited, it just cannot be done. They've got a bell that warns of an attack coming on the area also, and finally it boosts the defense and healing rate of inhabitants within a mile of it.”

  Erik's face had a shocked look on it now.

  “Why would you need patrols then? Just gather them up onto the grounds if there's an attack.”

  “And let them burn us out? It's taking long enough to get stuff built up already, I don't want to have to rebuild all of it after an attack.”

  “Ah, I can see that. Especially if you're the one funding the building.”

  “It's an easy way to get some coin to the refugees without them thinking of it as charity, and the work needs to get done anyhow, so a win-win situation,” Eddie replied.

  “You mention coin, what's the pay for guards and patrols?”

  “Negotiable. We'll sit down and discuss it if you decided you're interested. I assume you speak for the rest of the guards that came along as well?”

  “That I do, I'm the leader of our troop.”

  “Well, let's walk. I thought I'd give you the basement of the town hall as an area to base yourselves out of. You'll probably want to sleep there for a bit as well. If you take the job we'll provide houses, but as you saw when you were coming through, we're not getting them done as quickly as I'd like.”

  “Bjorn mentioned you needed oxen to speed your building.”

  “They'll help, a lot. But it's still probably a couple of weeks until we have houses for everyone. Sleeping in the town hall will give you a roof over your head until then. Most of the refugees are making do with a tarp or a lean-to.”

  “Well, let's take a look then, shall we?” Erik replied.

  Eddie led him to the town hall and then down into the basement. He carried a lantern since it would be dark in there.

  “No windows down here, but our smith can run off a couple of lanterns, either oil or candle style, easily enough,” Eddie said.

  “Nothing down here,” Erik replied.

  Eddie shrugged.

  “Hey, I just finished building it yesterday. I'll get some furniture down here in the next day or two if you guys take the position.”

  “Really, you built it?” Erik asked.

  Eddie heard the doubt in his voice, so he led Erik back up the stairs and out into the back yard. Grabbing some of the rough planks still left over from the project, he pulled out the blueprint of a chair. Ten minutes later he handed the finished chair to Erik.

  “Yeah, I built it. I had some help with the stonework though.”

  Erik put the chair down, then leaned on it, testing to see if it would hold his weight. Then he sat down in it and looked up at Eddie.

  “I thought you were trying to pull the wool over my eyes before. No-one's an adventurer, a builder, a cook, and lots of other things. At least no-one I'd ever run into before was, at least not with any level of skill at most of it. But I'm beginning to believe that you might be.”

  “I am, and there are a few others adventurers around here leaning in the same direction. Maybe not as much as me, but some at least. Got a cartographer who's also a scout, a smith who's also a warrior, and a few people who do a few things on the side when they aren't adventuring.”

  “Well, thanks for the warning then. Looks like this place is getting bigger too, especially with the folks we just guarded from Brightport.”

  “I expect we'll make it to town level shortly after I get a few more houses built.”

  “Well, it does look like you have the numbers for that. I think we're interested, let's talk pay, shall we?” Erik said.

  ~ ~ ~

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Freyja observed Cooper and his squad as they went off adventuring into the nearby forest.

  I won't continue to make them encounters here, she thought, but I will offer to transport them to someplace they can find them on their own. Or maybe find them with a little help? There's always a chance someone will figure out how they can be used to test constructs even with a class, or maybe they'll delete these and start them with fresh avatars to use in the testing, so perhaps they should get to know the people in the area Harmon had been planning to attack.

  By the end of the day Cooper had made level three, the rest of his squad's levels enough to pull him along quickly. As an archer, he wasn't in much danger either, the brunt of that being borne by the melee fighters in the front line.

  Freyja was waiting to appear to him when he returned to his tent, exhilarated, but mentally exhausted.

  “Cooper,” she said.

  He snapped alert again instantly, spinning to find her watching him.

  “Oh, Freyja. Sorry, you startled me.”

  “Cooper, I'll be unable to continue to create specific encounters for you and yours out here in this area. It's not connected to anything else and doesn't normally have them. I can, if you like, transport you and your squad to an area where you can find encounters on your own though.”

  “Once again, the logs are going to—”

  She raised a hand, silencing him mid-complaint.

  “The logs will only show that which I desire them to show. I thought I'd made that clear to you.”

  “Let me ask the squad, okay?”

  “Make sure to mention that there won't be any more encounters in this area should you choose to remain,” she said. “I'll return tomorrow morning for your answer.”

  She disappeared in a shimmer, transporting herself to her own rooms. She was also observing Eddie and Tiana at the moment, who had just sat down to dinner in the common room of his inn. She chose to communicate with him instead of Tiana this time. She was sure Tiana would do as she asked, regardless of how the priestess felt about any request. By asking Eddie, she could be sure that it was something they were willing to do, as opposed to feeling obligated to do.

  Eddie, Freyja spoke in his mind, I've a request of you. Feel free to say no if you wish, you are under no obligation to do this for me.

  Freyja, is that you? he thought.

  Yes, it is. I have something I'd like you to do. It won't be a great deal of trouble for you, although it may cause some.

  What do you need Freyja? Eddie thought.

  I've a group of adventurers, but they aren't your standard adventurers. They need a place to base themselves out of, and they need to know where to find encounters to suit their levels. Their current base would not be a good choice for them to stay in as the encounter rate is about to zero out.

  If they're anywhere from level one to level twenty, we can probably accommodate them, Eddie thought. I might have to get Charles to help if they're on the higher range of that though.

  The highest is only level nine at this time and the lowest is level three. Please direct them to some areas to bring up the level of the lowest first. They'll be short on coin also, although they will have some to start, so you'll need to direct them to somewhere they'll be able to find that as well, Freyja thought to him.

  Rat Woods, he thought. That ought to get experience for that lower level while getting coins for all of them. Then maybe the goblins after that, or they might try the dungeon, but I don't know how well they fight or anything so that could be risky.

  Thank you, Eddie. I anticipate that they'll arrive in the next two days. So they know you are aware of their status I will ask you to mention to th
e one called Cooper that I would appreciate it if he remembered to continue writing his reports on his own.

  I can do that. Shouldn't be a problem at all. We like having new adventurers around here, Eddie thought.

  Thank you Eddie. I'll let Tiana know what you decided also. I wanted to ask you since I was sure she would simply say yes regardless of my request, Freyja thought.

  ~ ~ ~

  Eddie opened his eyes again. They'd closed while Freyja was talking to him. Tiana was staring at him intently.

  “What was that, were you checking your screens or something?” she asked.

  He shook his head.

  “No, Freyja wanted to talk to me, said she would to you shortly also...”

  He trailed off as Tiana's face took on a blank look. Now he realized why she'd asked. When you were checking your screens you looked out there, like you were zoned out. Somehow, this was different. It was almost like you weren't currently occupying your avatar and the look was eerie. He waited patiently and a few second later her face became animated and her eyes opened again.

  She saw the look on his face and chuckled.

  “I guess that now you know why I was asking,” she said.

  He nodded.

  “Creepy, almost like you were an empty shell, more so than when you're just checking screens or anything.”

  She nodded in return.

  “Anyhow, you were telling me about the patrols?”

  “Oh yeah, I hired them on. They're going to take a day or two off before they start though, get to know the area and rest a little after the trip. Evidently they'd just come back, only to find out the company they worked for had been bought out while they were on a working trip. They also found out that they'd been fired. Bjorn asked around and no-one had any complaints about them, so he hired them on for his trip, telling them they might be able to find guard work at the end of it.”